Medical devices, for example tubing, are commonly made from polyolefin (e.g., ethylene- or propylene-containing) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials. Functional properties can be incorporated into known polymers to provide desired traits. U.S. Pat. No. 9,150,674 is directed to amphiphilic graft copolymers involving grafting either poly(ethylene oxide) or polylactide side chains onto known polymers, such as poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) or maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene.
Maleic anhydride-grafted polyolefins, also referred to as maleated polyolefins, may be used as an additive as a coupling agent for polymer composites. Because of its polarity and anhydride functionality, it may be used for laminating, or as a compatibilizer for polyolefin blends with nylon or EVOH, and for enhancing the strength of composites that utilize reinforcements/fillers such as glass, talc, calcium carbonate, and metals.
Polymeramines have been used primarily in polyurethane, polyureas, and thermo-plastic polyamide coating technologies, adhesives, epoxy applications and pigment formulations to increase flexibility, toughness, hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity (depending on the product used).
There are commercial products of acid and anhydride functionalized polyolefin, but there are few polar composites that are capable of effectively reacting and/or coupling with same. It is a challenge to functionalize PP due to a difficulty to control final structure and very often modification results in degradation of PP.
WO1996027622 discloses a method of producing nucleophilic amine functionalized polyolefins by reacting a polymer carrying an electrophilic functional group with a diamine having amino end-groups with different reactivity.
There is a continuing need to improve bond strength of medical devices along with their paintability, dyeability, and printablity.